The Way You Were
by PandaDaDokiDoki
Summary: You take the Lorax's place, though your not the guardian of the forest, your Onceler's girlfriend. Find out how his becoming of a millionaire effects your relationship. ( Onceler x Reader )( Onceler/Reader)( Onceler and Reader)
1. Chapter 1

"_, what's wrong?" Onceler said waking up from his sleep because of your cries; he sat up from his side of the bed where the two of you shared your slumber. "Did you have a nightmare?"

You had your knees to your chest, your (h/c) hair sliding off your shoulders, and your hands covering your face. You nodded as he gently patted your back with his left hand, and afterwards pushed your hair behind your ear with the same one. The bar-ba-loots were gathered around the window outside and some around the bed because they too heard you scream. "What was it about?"

You kept your face covered. "I dreamt that you… that we weren't together, you left me b-by myself and you said you hated me-" "Hey, hey, hey," he said cutting you off. He pulled you close to him and wrapped his arms around you. "It was only a nightmare." He ran his fingers through your hair. "Don't you ever think that I would hate you."

Still crying a bit, you said, "But, it felt so real."

"_, Look at me," he said, lifting up your chin. You looked up at him with your (e/c) eyes, that were still filled and flowing with salty tears.

He pointed to a pink Truffula tree that was standing much more proudly than the others, bar-ba-loots sleeping underneath it. A carving in the tree's bark was a heart with an arrow stabbed through it, and inside the heart, it said, "(f/n) and Onceler."

"As long as that tree is still standing to remind us of what we're fighting for, than I don't see a reason for us _not_ to keep our relationship going." He looked down at you again, with his sparkly blue eyes; he wiped a tear from your eyes and stroked your cheek, then he gave you a gentle kiss on your forehead. You smiled; he smiled back; and then you both shared a passionate kiss on the lips. The bar-ba-loots that were inside of the tent-house and outside of it smiled, knowing that you were okay now, and then went back to their sleeping spots; you and Onceler fell back to sleep in each other's arms while you still had a grin playing on your lips.

The next morning, you woke up to the smell of fresh pancakes, and the sound of chirping birds mixed in with the sound of a sizzling hot stove. You moaned from the sweet scent, and then a heard a gentle voice say, "Good Morning, Pancake."

Your eyes fluttered open when you heard the sweet voice of Onceler, who had apparently gotten up earlier to fix the both of you breakfast. He was still in his blue and yellow rabbit pajama pants, but the matching shirt was replaced with a white sleeveless shirt. He was setting a tall stack of pancakes on the table and was heading over to the bed where you were.

"Morning, Oncey," you said with a yawn. Oncey was your nickname for him, and he returned the favor by referring to you as "Pancake," mostly because he had a love for both you and pancakes.

"I made breakfast." He sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned closer to you. You stretched and leaned close to him, too. "Pancakes?" You asked raising an eyebrow and creating a smile. "Maybe," He whispered back with his black bangs covering one of his eyes and a devilish smirk, making him appear even sexier than he already was. "Maybe," you repeated in a whisper as you Eskimo kissed him, and he did the same.

Wasn't long till the two of you realized that the bar-ba-loots were watching you guys rub noses from the window, awing you two love birds. Once-ler's cheeks turned pink when he remembered that you two were being watched, and he went to let down the curtains of the window. You laughed at how cute he was acting and his cheeks turned pinker. Then he put his devilish smirk back on his face and narrowed his eyes. Seconds after you stopped laughing he tackled you on the bed, tickling your sides and making you squirm.

"ONCEEEEY! STOP! P-PLEASE!" He didn't listen, he kept tickling you with that smile of his, pushing you into a phase of non-stop laughter, but minutes later, he gave you a chance for breath and pinned you down on the bed. He placed his lips on your cheeks that were red from all the laughing and tickling, his black hair tickled your nose. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him closer, and you brought your lips to his neck as he massaged your cheek with his. Then he brought them to your ear and whispered, "Let's eat some pancakes."

He pushed himself up off of you and grabbed your hand, leading you off the bed and to the table. He had fixed you a plate already and made a glass of orange juice for you to drink along with them. He watched as you took the first bite. "You make the BEST pancakes," you said with your mouth full.

"Yeah," he said nodding and digging into his plate. "I know." The two of you laughed together.

Then you started to wonder why he wasn't in town trying to sell his "Thneeds," an invention of his that can literally be used for things needed. Thneeds were made entirely out of Truffula tree leaves, which was really soft so it could be worn and could withstand rain.

"Aren't you usually in town by now, you know, trying to sell your Thneeds?" you asked. He frowned. _Did I say something to upset him? _You ask yourself.

"No one wants to by my stupid Thneeds" he said puffing up his lips and crossing his arms. "Mom was right; I'll never be successful in anything."

Onceler's mother was very selfish and only did things for her own gain, but, then again, his whole family was. She treated him differently than she did her eldest sons. She told Once-ler that he wouldn't get **_anywhere_**in life. You had never met her, but you knew you would never want to.

A frown started to come across your face, and you got up and walked over to where he was. You spread your legs and sat on his lap, facing him with both your legs dangling off either side of him. He looked at you with his blue eyes and you looked at him with yours. Your eyes glanced to the floor for a few seconds and then back to his. You still had a frown on your face. "You were successful with me…"

He smiled and stroked your cheek, and then he pulled you in for a hug and kissed your forehead. "And I'm happy for that, but I'm talking about financially. I want to be able to buy you nice things." He had sadness across his face now; you kissed him on the cheek when he wasn't looking and said, "But I have you."

He didn't say anything, all he did was smile. Then the two of you shared another Eskimo kiss in the silence, until the tent started to shake as if there was an earthquake.

You wrapped your arms around his torso and nuzzled your face upon his chest while he pulled you close to him in an attempt to keep you safe. "Oncey?" you whimpered in a frightened fashion as he stood up and led the both of you out of the tent. "Its okay, it's okay," he said trying to calm you down.

The two of you burst out the door of the tent and were soon surrounded by frightened bar-ba-loots, but soon, you both realized a crowd of people walking towards them from a distance. The crowd was lead by a women wearing one of Onceler's Thneeds as a hat. They didn't look angry like they usually were, but instead everyone was smiling and waving money in the air.

Onceler went to confront the group, to ask what the all the ruckus was about, while you stayed with the scared bar-ba-loots. Turns out, that when Onceler threw away his failed Thneed, the woman found it and found it useful. Sure enough, everyone wanted one now.

You watched as your boyfriend was flustering with orders and collecting all the cash from the people around him, and it made you giggle, but not when a speeding RV showed up next to the tent.

A very round woman stepped out o the RV, along with a scrawny old man, a set of twins, and a woman with poofy hair and a crooked grin. Onceler came up to where you were and noticed them real quick, and with the look on his face, he seemed to know them quite well.

It was his mom, and the rest of his family.

A couple days had pass since then, and before you knew it, Truffula trees were coming down one by one. Days turned to weeks; and weeks turned to months. It's been seven months now since that day, your boyfriends wish came true, and that wish was to make millions off of his Thneed. A part of you is happy for him, but the other part of you knew that things had taken a drastic turn to the worst.


	2. Chapter 2

A couple of months have passed since you've seen any trees close to where you are now. Throughout these months, Onceler had built a manufacturing plant that was combined of a factory for making his Thneeds and a mansion in which to satisfy his family and himself of the luxury life, and soon parted you and himself away from your cozy little tent -house in the woods and into the luxurious plantation, miles away from it. You always told yourself _This isn't the Oncey I know; none of this is his fault. It's his family that had to come and ruin everything. He's only trying to do right by his mother, make her proud._

You were in your room, which was filled with fancy furniture that was a little **too** fancy for your taste. Your walk in closet filled with clothes you don't even wear, and Thneeds of all colors; the ones that didn't fit in your closet or dresser were left on the floor. You sat on your bed, brushing your hair. Swarming your room, besides Thneeds, were homeless bar-ba-loots and swoomee-swans whose homes were destroyed along with half the forest and some fish that you kept in a big enough aquarium. You willingly let them stay in your room where they would be safe from what lied beyond the mansion. You sat your brush down on the nightstand and pet the bar-ba-loot that was sitting next to you. Your depressed face gave them all saddened ones.

You scanned the room for what felt like the millionth time, now, and told yourself for what felt like the millionth time _I should appreciate all that he has done and given me. Not all girls have a room like this and a super rich boyfriend._

You frowned. _Who seems to want to spend his time counting money than spend time with his girlfriend anymore._

You got up from your bed and opened the door that led out to the balcony. You looked at what used to be filled with color but was now gray and gloomy. Smog filled the air, the nearby lakes were polluted with black goop, and the area was surrounded by tree stumps. You saw beyond the fog was still a living patch of brightly colored Truffula trees. **That** was where you wanted to be. **That** was where you and Onceler have shared your most precious memories. **That** was where your tree was; the one that had yours and Onceler's name on it to symbolize your love. You had thought that one day, you and Onceler would have married and had kids. You had hoped to build a house in the forest about where the tent was still.

But, no. You would have to hold up on a dream like that for now.

"Excuse me, Miss _," said a voice from behind you. You looked behind you to find Norman, the butler, standing in the doorway. You found him as your only friend, besides the fish, birds, and bar-ba-loots that would actually make time to listen to you; your boyfriend spent his hours making business deals and counting earnings. Norman was an elderly man and had to have help with certain chores, which you gladly lent your time to help him, because you really had nothing else better to do.

"Norman," you said in relief. You spent many of your days by yourself so you were used to being alone, but you were still quite jumpy to any sounds.

"Dinner is ready, Miss," he said, then turned around and waited for you to leave the balcony, which you did, and he closed the balcony doors behind you.

Opening the doors into the dining room, Norman entered with you following him, three bar-ba-loots and a swoomee-swan following you. Dinner for tonight, was once again chicken, because that was his aunt Grizeldathumb's favorite. Isabella proclaimed as you walked in, "Oh, you finally show up. It took you long enough." You sent her a glare as you sat down. "Don't look at me like that," she said as she shot you back a glare, with you turning your eyes towards Onceler, who was seated at the head of the table leaned back in his chair, not saying a word. His sunglasses were covering his face so you couldn't see his eyes.

"Anyway," said Isabella. "I'd like to propose a toast, to selling the one millionth Thneed this afternoon. I am so proud of my favorite son, Onceler." "Cheers!" said the whole room, you saying it last and without a smile. "Oh please, _," said Isabella. "Can't you be proud of your boyfriend."

"Who says I'm not, unlike you," you replied.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, "Excuse me. Who do you think you're talking to?"

"You obviously," you said standing up with both your hands on the table. The swoomee-swan and bar-ba-loots hid under your chair. "I've been supporting him when you haven't. You told him he wouldn't get anywhere in life. You never showed him any support at all, and when his Thneeds become successful, you embrace him in open arms? That shows how manipulative, cold-hearted, and selfish you are Isabella, and I still don't see why he puts up with you."

Norman and the rest of Onceler's family stared at the two of you in shock. Onceler was leaning forward in his seat.

Isabella stared at you and soon glared, "You… disrespectful thing."

The swoomee-swan that had coward under your chair soon backed out from under it, then he saw Grizeldathumb take a bite out of the chicken and passed out. You saw him faint and rushed over to his aid, picking him up and cradling him.

"And why do you drag these vermin's around everywhere you go?" yelled Isabella. "Bret, Chet, take these animals outside where they belong."

"No!" you yelled as Bret and Chet got up and tried to snatch him out of your hands, which turned into an all out tug-a-war. Then soon, Grizeldathumb and Uncle Ubb decide to join in and helped Bret and Chet in the tug-a-war, while the bar-ba-loots helped you, or at least were trying to, and soon Norman pitched in also.

"Honestly Onceler," said Isabella who was looking at her son, who was still sitting at the end of the table. "You could do SO much better than this girl." You overhearing it, turned to your boyfriend who was still expressionless, and nearly started to cry but took all your anger out on the tug-a-war.

Two of the bar-ba-loots finally just crawled on your arms and over to Bret and Chet's and bit their hands while the other bit one of their legs, causing them to screech in pain and cause the four of them to fall back on the table, making the food spill out on the floor.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Onceler smacking his hands on the table and quickly standing up. The room went silent as he whipped the sunglasses off his face.

"Everyone leave this room, NOW!" He pointed at Norman, "Norman, clean up this mess, and _," he pointed at you, "I'd like to have a word with you in my office, please," he said in an angered voice.


End file.
